JP3844452B2 - Biometric authentication system and authentication token - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a biometric information authentication system, an authentication token, and an authentication method for proving whether or not a user is a principal by using the biometric information of the user when the user receives a service and providing the service to the user.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Among devices such as PCs (personal computers) and mobile phones, there are devices having an authentication function that proves the identity of the user by using the user's biometric information and provides various services to the user. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a system having such an authentication function. A sensor unit 10A in which a sensor 11 that reads a user's biological information is mounted on a use device 30 that is a service providing device such as a PC or a mobile phone. , And the processing device 31 such as a processor or a microcomputer installed in the use device 30 authenticates whether or not the user is the user based on the sensing data E read by the sensor unit 10A. If so, the service is provided to the user.
[0003]
As another example of a system having this kind of authentication function, as shown in FIG. 9, an authentication device (authentication token 10) possessed by a user is connected to a use device 30 where the user is provided with a service, There has also been proposed a system that authenticates a user using biometric information in the authentication apparatus and transmits the authentication result to the use device 30. In this authentication system, user registration information is stored in an authentication device possessed by each user, and everything from reading biometric information to verification is performed in this authentication device. Only the authentication result (communication data H) obtained by this verification is transmitted to the use device 30, and the use device 30 provides a service based on this information.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the authentication system shown in FIG. 8, since the biometric information of the user is collated by the processing device 31 in the use device 30, the authentication circuit O and the user registration data D are installed in the storage circuit 32 in the use device 30. There must be. However, there are many devices that are not equipped with such authentication software O and registration data D among devices that are already widely used, such as PCs and mobile phones, so that an authentication system based on biometric information can be introduced. It is necessary to install authentication software and registration data in advance in such devices, which is an impediment to the introduction of this type of authentication system.
[0005]
On the other hand, in the authentication system shown in FIG. 9, since verification of biometric information is performed by an authentication device possessed by the user, it is not necessary to install verification software and user registration data in the use device 30. However, since the authentication device side transmits the communication data H (authentication result) indicating whether or not the user is the user, the authentication device side receives the communication data and determines whether or not the communication data H is legitimate data. Then, the authentication device dedicated software for starting the provision of the service is installed in the use device 30 in advance, or the service provision software A installed in the use device 30 is operated by the communication data H from the authentication device. Must be changed to do. In this case, as in the conventional example shown in FIG. 8, authentication device software must be installed in advance on all the devices used by the user, which makes it difficult to introduce the authentication system.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to perform authentication based on biometric information without installing dedicated software in a general user device already used by a user. It is to make the system installable.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve such a problem, the present invention configures a system from an authentication token possessed by a user and a use device providing a service to the user, and reads biometric information of the user into the authentication token. A sensor, a registration memory that stores user's registered biometric information in advance, a user memory that stores a plurality of user-specific information identified by an index corresponding to the registered biometric information stored in the registration memory, and a biometric information sensor The read biometric information and the registered biometric information in the registration memory are collated, and if the matched biometric information is a predetermined specific biometric information, an index counter is added. In the case of other than registered biometric information, the registered biometric information that matches from the user memory corresponds to the user identified by the index counter value. Collating circuit for outputting read the unique information, a keyboard emulator that converts the information specific to the user output from the matching circuit to the tap signal of the keyboard, and a first communication circuit for transmitting keystroke signals converted by the keyboard emulator A second communication circuit that receives the key-pressing signal transmitted from the first communication circuit and executes a service program based on the key-pressing signal received by the second communication circuit, and provides a service to the user. And the processing device for providing the user device, the user device is equipped with dedicated software, and the keystroke signal received by the second communication circuit authenticates the user. The registration index information is transmitted to the first communication circuit via the second communication circuit, and the user memory receives the registration user information received by the first reception circuit. It is provided with a means for changing the user-specific information for storing THE specific information and registration index information based.
[0008]
In this case, the authentication information output unit is provided with a user memory capable of storing a plurality of pieces of user-specific information identified by an index with respect to at least one registered biometric information stored as specific registered biometric information in the registration memory, In addition, the collation unit collates the biometric information read by the biometric information sensor with the registered biometric information in the registration memory and outputs a collation result, and an index if the biometric information to be collated is predetermined biometric information. A collation circuit that outputs an addition signal and an index counter that performs addition based on the index addition signal are provided, and the keyboard emulator is based on specific registered biometric information output as a collation result from the collation circuit and the value of the index counter. User-specific information selectively output from the user memory by the authentication information output unit And converts the key signal.
[0009]
In addition, the collation unit includes a collation circuit that collates the biometric information read by the biometric information sensor with the registered biometric information in the registration memory and outputs a collation result, a switch, and an index counter that adds the number of times the switch is pressed. The keyboard emulator provides user-specific information selectively output from the user memory by the authentication information output unit based on the specific registered biometric information output from the verification circuit as a verification result and the value of the index counter, as a keystroke signal of the keyboard. To convert.
Further, when the registration user-specific information and the registration index information transmitted from the user device are received in the authentication token via the first communication circuit, the user-specific information in the area identified by the registration index information in the user memory Registration means for updating the information to registration user specific information or inserting the registration user specific information into the area is provided.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a biometric information authentication system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the biometric information authentication system includes a use device 30 that provides a service to a user and an authentication token 10 that the user possesses.
[0012]
The authentication token 10 includes a sensor 11 that reads biometric information, a registration memory 13 that holds registered biometric information data (registered data D) of a user, a user memory 15 that holds user information, and a sensor 11. The collation circuit 12 for comparing and collating the biometric information data (sensing data E) read in step 1 with the registered biometric information data held in the registration memory 13, and the user information (user information C) output from the user memory 15 The keyboard emulator 14 that converts the keying signal J into the keyboard keying signal J based on the collation data F of 12 and the keying signal J output from the keyboard emulator 14 are transmitted as communication data H to the user device 30 and transmitted from the user device 30. And a communication circuit 16 that outputs to the user memory 15 when receiving the registration user information B. It has been.
[0013]
The authentication system is a system that can assign a plurality of pieces of user information that can be identified by an index to one registered biometric information. For this reason, the authentication token 10 outputs the registration index information G together with the above-described registration user information B from the communication circuit 16 to the user memory 15 and registers the information in the user memory 15 as a pair, and the index counter. 17, the value of the index counter 17 is increased by the index addition signal K output when the biometric information matched by the collation circuit 12 is determined as the index-corresponding registered biometric information as a result of the biometric information collation. The index information I is sent to the user memory 15. The user memory 15 outputs user information designated by the index information I and the collation data F to the keyboard emulator 14.
[0014]
On the other hand, the utilization device 30 is a device such as a PC or a mobile phone, and a communication circuit 33 that receives communication data H indicating user information from the authentication token 10 and a user based on the user information received by the communication circuit 33. A processing device 31 that provides a service, and a storage circuit 32 that stores service software A corresponding to the provided service executed by the processing device 31.
[0015]
Here, in advance, the user stores his / her registered biometric information data and user information such as a password for using the service in the authentication token 10 possessed by the user. Next, when using the use device 30, the user connects his / her authentication token 10 directly to the use device 30 or indirectly through radio waves, infrared rays, or the like, and causes the sensor 11 to read his / her biological information. When the collation circuit 12 collates the registered biometric information data D registered in the registration memory 13 in advance with the biometric information data (sensing data E) read by the sensor 11, the collation results match to indicate a collation success. Is output as collation data F to the keyboard emulator 14 and the user memory 15. When the collation result is predetermined index-corresponding registered biometric information, as described above, the index addition signal K is output to the index counter 17 and the value of the index counter 17 is increased.
[0016]
Here, the keyboard emulator 14 uses user information such as a password output from the user memory 15 based on the collation data F representing the biometric information collated with the collation circuit 12 and the index information I indicating the value of the index counter 17. C (user-specific information including identification information for identifying the user) is converted into a keystroke signal J of the keyboard, and is transmitted as communication data H to the utilization device 30 via the communication circuit 16.
[0017]
The communication circuit 33 of the utilization device 30 is a general-purpose connector and communication circuit for connecting a keyboard such as USB, serial, wireless, and infrared, and a key-pressing signal J from the authentication token 10 connected to the communication circuit 33 is received. Then, it is interpreted in the same manner as a keystroke signal transmitted from a keyboard that is originally connected, and transmitted to the processing device 31. The processing device 31 interprets the signal transmitted from the communication circuit 33 as a signal from the keyboard, and performs processing corresponding to the key input.
[0018]
Here, when the state of the use device 30 is an input acceptance state of a password or the like when providing the service, and the keystroke signal J transmitted from the authentication token 10 is a password corresponding to this user, The processing device 31 interprets that a password has been input from an externally connected keyboard, and the processing device 31 executes the service software A in the storage circuit 32, whereby the input password is entered by the user using the keyboard. In the same manner as in the above case, if the service is verified and verified as correct, the service software A is executed to provide a service to the user.
[0019]
In this way, in this authentication system, the signal from the authentication token 10 is exactly the same as the password actually entered by the user using the keyboard. Therefore, the processing device 31 performs user authentication by the same process as the conventional password verification. Is possible. For this reason, it is not necessary to install software dedicated to the authentication token in the use device 30, and it is not necessary to improve the service program (service software A) of the use device 30 for the authentication token. That is, it is possible to easily introduce an authentication system based on biometric information without newly installing or changing software or the like to an authentication system using a conventional password.
[0020]
Further, by transmitting not only a password but also a user ID as user information, it is possible to save the trouble of keyboard input at the time of user authentication and to improve convenience. Furthermore, since the authentication token 10 automatically transmits the user ID and password, the user does not need to store such information, and the convenience can be further improved. At the same time, it is also possible to set individual passwords for each service while frequently updating meaningless long passwords that cannot be memorized by the user. It is possible to solve problems such as making a character string with a meaning that is easy to remember, and sharing a variety of services without updating a single password, and a higher security system can be constructed.
[0021]
New registration of user information and index to the authentication token 10 and correction and addition of user information and index registered in the authentication token 10 are performed from the user device 30 equipped with dedicated software for registration user information B and registration. This can be done by sending the index information G to the authentication token 10. In this case, when the authentication token 10 receives the registration user information B and the registration index information G, the authentication token 10 registers the user information in the user memory 15 based on the received registration user information B and the registration index information G. And processing such as correction of user information in the user memory 15 is performed.
[0022]
For such processing, a user device with dedicated software is required. However, such processing is not always performed, and is necessary only when user information is changed. What is necessary is just to connect with the utilization apparatus which can be used. Since this process is very rare compared to the authentication process at the time of providing a normal service, the convenience for the user is hardly impaired. In addition, regarding the service for the registration process of user information and index information, by introducing user authentication based on biometric information using the authentication token 10, user information and index information are not arbitrarily rewritten, but a dedicated use device Therefore, it is possible to construct a more secure system by allowing only users who are authorized to do so. In the present embodiment, the registration memory 13 that stores the registered biometric information data of the user and the user memory 15 that stores the user information are described separately, but these are integrated into one memory. Is also possible.
[0023]
As described above, the authentication system is configured such that a plurality of pieces of user information is assigned to each of a plurality of pieces of registered biometric information data registered in the registration memory 13 and the assigned pieces of user information can be identified by an index. is there.
Here, for example, assuming that the biometric information is a fingerprint, the user memory 15 stores user information a for each finger such as a finger 1A as a thumb and a finger 1B as an index finger as shown in FIG. A plurality of user information such as ~ d and user information h ~ k can be assigned.
[0024]
When registering such user information, the registration index information G is added to the registration user information B transmitted from the use device 30, and the user information is added to an arbitrary index portion of the user memory 15 as shown in FIG. Insert and add. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible to register user information at an arbitrary index of each registered biometric information by overwriting the user information at an arbitrary index portion of the user memory 15 with new user information. .
[0025]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the authentication system. The operation of the main part of the present invention will be described according to this flowchart.
First, before starting collation of biometric information, the value of the index counter 17 is reset to “0” (step S1). Next, the biometric information of the user is read by the sensor 11, and the collation circuit 12 collates the biometric information read by the sensor 11 with the registered biometric information in the registration memory 13, and outputs collation data F for the matching registered biometric information. (Step S2).
[0026]
Here, in this embodiment, at least one of a plurality of registered biometric information registered in the registration memory 13 is set as index-corresponding registered biometric information, and the collation data F output from the collation circuit 12 is the index. If the corresponding registered biometric information is indicated (YES in step S3), the collation circuit 12 outputs the index addition signal K to the index counter 17 and increments the value of the index counter 17 by one (step S4). ), The process returns to the reading and collation of the biological information again (step S2). If the collation data F of the collation result is the previous index-corresponding registered biometric information, the index addition signal K is similarly output to the index counter 17 to increase the value of the index counter 17 by one (step S3, S3). Step S4), returning to step S2 again, reading and collating biometric information.
[0027]
As described above, each time the biometric information is read by the sensor 11, the collation circuit 12 collates the biometric information with the registered biometric information in the registration memory 13, and the collation data F representing the collation result is the index-corresponding registered biometric. In the case of information, an index addition signal K is output to the index counter 17 to increase the value of the index counter 17 by one.
[0028]
On the other hand, when the collation result by the collation circuit 12 does not indicate the index-corresponding registered biometric information (NO in step S3), the collation indicating the type of registered biometric information output by the collation circuit 12 based on the collation match. The user information in the user memory 15 is searched and specified from the data F and the index information I indicating the value of the index counter 17 at that time (step S5). Then, the specified user information is output to the keyboard emulator 14 (step S6). When the user information output from the user memory 15 is input, the keyboard emulator 14 converts the user information into a keyboard keying signal J as described above, and transmits it to the user device 30 as communication data H via the communication circuit 16. To do.
[0029]
Thus, in this embodiment, a plurality of pieces of user information can be assigned to each registered biometric information (for example, each finger in the case of a fingerprint), and more user information can be registered and used. Become. For example, when the user information is a password for a service in the use device 30, when adding a new password as user information to the user memory 15, if registration is performed using “add user information”, the password before the latest password is added. Passwords can also be stored and output. This makes it possible to output both old and new passwords using the index even when it is necessary to input old and new passwords on the password update screen of the service on the use device 30. It becomes possible to respond.
[0030]
In the above description, when the value of the index counter 17 is increased, the method for predetermining the index-corresponding registered biometric information has been described. However, the value of the index counter 17 is determined depending on the position of the biometric sensor 11 such as a finger. It is also possible to increase.
[0031]
That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the user places a finger in various directions as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C with respect to the sensor 11 that reads the fingerprint, and the collation circuit 12 The direction in which it is placed is detected, and the value of the index counter 17 is increased based on the detection result.
[0032]
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the authentication token 10 may be provided with a switch 18 or the like, and the value of the index counter 17 may be increased by the number of times the switch 18 is pressed. In this case, the index addition signal K is not output from the verification circuit 12 to the index counter 17.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the biometric information sensor that reads the biometric information of the user in the authentication token, the registration memory that stores the biometric information of the user in advance, and the specific biometric information registered in the registration memory An authentication information output unit capable of outputting a plurality of unique information of a user corresponding to at least one registered biometric information stored, biometric information read by the biometric information sensor and registered biometric information in the registration memory are collated. In addition, if the collation result indicates that collation is successful and the biometric information to be collated is the specific registered biometric information, one of a plurality of unique information corresponding to the specific registered biometric information is selected from the authentication information output unit And a verification unit that automatically outputs a user, converts user's unique information output from the authentication information output unit into a keyboard keystroke signal, and uses the converted keystroke signal Since it is configured to transmit and execute the service program on the device to be used and provide the service to the user, an authentication system based on biometric information without installing dedicated software on a general user device already used by the user Can be introduced. In addition, since a plurality of pieces of user specific information can be assigned to each registered biometric information, more user specific information can be used. For example, when the user-specific information is a password for a service provided from a use device, it is possible to hold and output a password before the latest password. This makes it possible to output both the old and new passwords using the index even when the old and new passwords need to be input on the service password update screen or the like in the use device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a biometric authentication system according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a registration status of user information for each registered biometric information in the system.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a first registration operation of user information in the system.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second registration operation of user information in the system.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the system.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a first addition example of an index counter for instructing output of user information registered in the system.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a second addition example of an index counter for instructing output of user information registered in the system.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional system.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional system.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Finger, 10 ... Authentication token, 11 ... Sensor, 12 ... Verification circuit, 13 ... Registration memory, 14 ... Keyboard emulator, 15 ... User memory, 16, 33 ... Communication circuit, 17 ... Index counter, 18 ... Switch, 30 ... used equipment, 31 ... processing device, 32 ... storage circuit.

Claims (4)

An authentication token possessed by the user, and a user device that provides services to the user,
The authentication token is
A biometric information sensor for reading the biometric information of the user;
A registration memory for storing the registered biometric information of the user in advance;
A user memory for storing a plurality of user specific information identified by an index corresponding to the registered biometric information stored in the registration memory;
The read biometric information by the biometric information sensor and collating the said registered biometric information of the registration memory, if matched biometric information is a specific registered biometric information determined in advance by adding the index counter, When the matched biometric information is other than the specific registered biometric information, the matching circuit reads out and outputs the user-specific information identified by the value of the index counter corresponding to the matched biometric information from the user memory;
The value of the index counter is 1 or more,
A keyboard emulator for converting the user's unique information output from the verification circuit into a keyboard keystroke signal;
A first communication circuit that transmits the keystroke signal converted by the keyboard emulator;
The use device is
A second communication circuit for receiving the keystroke signal transmitted from the first communication circuit;
A processing device that executes a service program based on the keystroke signal received by the second communication circuit and provides a service to the user ;
If the user equipment is equipped with dedicated software and the keystroke signal received by the second communication circuit authenticates the user, the user equipment uses the registration user-specific information and the registration index information. The user memory stores user specific information to be stored based on the registration user specific information and the registration index information received by the first reception circuit. A biometric authentication system characterized by changing . In Claim 1, The said authentication information output part is a user who can memorize | store the some user specific information identified with an index with respect to the at least 1 registration biometric information memorize | stored as the said specific registration biometric information in the said registration memory. With memory,
The collation unit
A collation circuit that collates the biometric information read by the biometric information sensor with the registered biometric information in the registration memory and outputs a collation result, a switch, and an index counter that adds the number of times the switch is pressed;
The keyboard emulator is configured to provide user-specific information that is selectively output from the user memory by the authentication information output unit based on the specific registered biometric information output from the verification circuit as a verification result and the value of the index counter. A biometric information authentication system characterized by being converted into a keystroke signal. An authentication token possessed by the user, and a user device that provides services to the user,
The authentication token is
A biometric information sensor for reading the biometric information of the user;
A registration memory for storing the registered biometric information of the user in advance;
A user memory for storing a plurality of user specific information identified by an index corresponding to the registered biometric information stored in the registration memory;
Collating the said registered biometric information of the registration memory read biometric information by the biometric information sensor, if matched biometric information is a specific registered biometric information determined in advance by adding the index counter A matching circuit that reads out and outputs user-specific information identified by the value of the index counter corresponding to the registered biometric information matched from the user memory when the matched biometric information is other than the specific registered biometric information;
The value of the index counter is 1 or more,
A keyboard emulator for converting the user's unique information output from the verification circuit into a keyboard keystroke signal;
A first communication circuit that transmits the keystroke signal converted by the keyboard emulator;
The use device is
A second communication circuit for receiving the keystroke signal transmitted from the first communication circuit;
A processing device that executes a service program based on the keystroke signal received by the second communication circuit and provides a service to the user ;
If the user equipment is equipped with dedicated software and the keystroke signal received by the second communication circuit authenticates the user, the user equipment uses the registration user-specific information and the registration index information. The user memory stores user specific information to be stored based on the registration user specific information and the registration index information received by the first reception circuit. An authentication token characterized by changing . In Claim 3, The said authentication information output part is a user who can memorize | store the some user specific information identified by an index with respect to the at least 1 registration biometric information memorize | stored as the said specific registration biometric information in the said registration memory. With memory,
The collation unit
A collation circuit that collates the biometric information read by the biometric information sensor with the registered biometric information in the registration memory and outputs a collation result, a switch, and an index counter that adds the number of times the switch is pressed;
The keyboard emulator is configured to provide user-specific information that is selectively output from the user memory by the authentication information output unit based on the specific registered biometric information output from the verification circuit as a verification result and the value of the index counter. A biometric authentication token characterized in that it is converted into a keystroke signal.

Images